Yorkshire terriers are notoriously hard to housebreak. Any yorkie owner will tell you that training a yorkie not to pee in the house is the hardest hurdle to jump. However, as you’re working to housebreak your yorkie, it’s good to keep in mind that your dog is not trying to purposefully infuriate you, even if their misbehavior seems insistent or stubborn. With the right training, most yorkies will catch on, even if it takes a while. The trick here is to have patience and to give your Yorkshire Terrier lots of love and care. Here are some helpful tips that should make it easier for you to get your yorkie to do what you want it to.

Be Consistent with Outside Potty Times

The first thing you need to do is to set up a consistent schedule of potty times for your dog. If you are only taking your yorkie out to relieve himself 2 or 3 times a day, don’t expect him/her to stop peeing inside. Take your yorkie out as soon as it wakes up and right before it goes to bed. Throughout the day, you should try to take him/her out every two hours. Hire a dog sitter if you have to during this initial training period. Again, you must be consistent with this in order for it to work. Soon, your yorkie will start catching on to the schedule. Once you see him/her going out on their own, it means s/he’s used to the routine. At this point, you can start gradually increasing the time intervals.

Give Him Praise for Good Behavior

If you are outside with your yorkie terrier, either in the backyard playing fetch or on a walk, remember to praise and show affection to your dog when s/he relieves him/herself in an appropriate place. You might want to give him/her a treat as a kind of reward that s/he can associate with their good behavior. This is all part of the process that will train him/her to pee and poop outside. It will let him/her know that outside is the place to go.

Chastising Your Yorkshire Terrier

If you’re inside and you catch your yorkie doing his business on your floor or furniture, say “NO!” firmly and loudly, pick him/her up, and take him/her outside immediately. Do not chastise him/her for mistakes unless you catch him/her in the act, otherwise s/he will not make the connection between his/her actions and your anger.

Crate Training

Crate training your Yorkshire Terrier can help in the process of housebreaking a puppy. The crate will become your yorkie’s private den, and will keep him/her from running rampant around your house while you’re gone or not looking. If a yorkie gets used to the crate, it will help alleviate their anxiety and make the whole housebreaking process easier on both of you.

Don’t Rub Your Dog’s Nose in the Mess

This is one of the biggest mistakes that people make while they’re trying to housebreak dogs. DO NOT rub your yorkie’s nose in the mess when they make one, even if it’s on your favorite Italian leather couch. This kind of abuse has absolutely no positive effects for your efforts. It will only increase your dog’s anxiety and make the whole process of housebreaking him/her much more difficult.

Clean the Mess Thoroughly When it Happens

If your yorkie keeps urinating or defecating in the same spot of your house, it could be because there is still some smell remaining from a previous time. Dogs are attracted to the smell of the same spot where they did their business before. Removing all traces of odor will make it so that they don’t have a particular spot indoors for their business.

Consult with Your Veterinarian

If the training methods you’re using are just simply not working, it could be that your yorkie has some kind of medical condition that makes it hard for him/her to control their bowels or urinary tract. If you’re housebreaking training isn’t doing the trick, try taking your dog to the vet and see what the doctor has to say.Above all, make sure that you are loving and attentive. Stay consistent in your housebreaking methods and be patient. Yorkies are intelligent and loving animals, and even though it can be difficult to deal with their initial training, anyone can do it provided they stick to the plan.